We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: websites are living, breathing things. You can’t just “set it and forget it.” Well, okay, you can, but what you’ll end up with is a really, really broken, outdated, ugly site.
Whether you’ve got a brand new site or you’re simply maintaining what you got, we’ve got some suggestions.
Meta That Data
If you know even the tiniest bit about websites, you’ve heard of metadata or meta descriptions.
Your meta title and meta description are what Google displays about your site in search results. Together, these two things are metadata. Don’t skip out on updating your site’s metadata. It’s how you rank and show up for keywords that visitors are searching. It’s also what will convince a user to click on your search result and learn more. Keep it short, sweet, convincing, and relevant.
Follow these rules tips when writing a meta description:
- Make sure your description is under 155 characters.
- Include some keywords your users are searching for, but make sure it still sounds natural.
- Include a call to action.
- Make sure it relates to the page in question.
Follow those tips, and you’ll be on your way to SEO excellence.
Mobile First
This one’s an easy test, but it might be a more difficult fix. Open your website on your phone. Does it still look okay? Can you click around the site and go where you want to go? If not, you’ve got yourself an issue in responsiveness.
Here’s a fun fact: Google only cares about how your site performs on mobile nowadays. It doesn’t give two shits if that site is gorgeous on desktop if it doesn’t work the way it should on a cellphone. And that means your domain authority drops, which also means you show up lower in search results.
There are two ways to address this—the hard way and the easy way. The hard way? You’ve got to go into your code or theme and make sure to include snippets of code or alternate widgets for responsive design. The easy way? You get in touch with a really, really cool team of website nerds.
Switch It Up
If your site is performing okay but getting a little dull, it’s time to go camera diving. Find all the best photos you have (of things related to your organization, obviously) and start flipping them out on the site. You’d be shocked how much a new picture on your homepage can freshen up your website. It’s like a facelift for the digital age.
Feeling really tech savvy? Try updating small details on the site like accent colors, button hover effects, or even your fonts. Just make sure they all stay within your brand guidelines. And if you aren’t a visual connoisseur, updating your content with fresh, relevant information is always a great idea. Google loves new, fresh ideas, and your users do, too!
There are a bunch of ways you can spruce up your site—so many, in fact, that we don’t have enough space to go through them all in a blog. Lucky for you, we’ve got a team who’s ready and willing to knock ‘em all out for you. Get in touch, and let’s turn that clunky site into a digital dream.
